Too Late
by notquitearockgod
Summary: Ziva feels its time to put things right but Sometimes despite our best intentions it's just too little, too late.


**Tags to Truth or Consequences, Chasing Ghosts and Berlin.**

**Story contains mention of main character deaths**

**Written for NFA'S Missed opertunities challenge.**

Three years, it had been three years since she last saw or spoke to a member of her former team, well all but one.

Now, now she felt she could finally find that last piece of closure she had denied herself and him all this time. When she had said goodbye to Tony on the asphalt of the runway she had promised to speak to Gibbs and the rest of the team to tell them goodbye.

Gibbs had been the hardest, hearing his voice over the phone, knowing she was saying goodbye to the only real father she had ever known had almost undone her. Abby and Ducky received very heartfelt e-mails because she could not bear to hear the sadness in their and her voice again.

McGee, her Mah-Gee, this man, her friend, her shoulder to lean on, her rock in times of trouble, her brother, the one person she could not give up. So she took the coward's way out and said nothing, no call, no E-mail not even a text.

She new in her heart that this will have hurt him deeply, would have him believing that he meant nothing to her when in fact she loved him dearly. He was the first to welcome her; he helped her find her way around DC (and the English language). He had been a major part in her physical rescue from Somalia, as well as the emotional rescue from the death of her father by helping her in secret to hunt down Bodner. She remembers now the disappointment in his eyes when after Gibbs and Vance had discovered their work Tony was assigned to help her in Berlin, as if his contribution and help were of no consequence, especially as she had never properly thanked him.

Well now it was time to put that to right, to thank him for eight years of friendship, eight years of heartfelt love and eight years of having her six. It was time, time to rejoin the world and it would begin with Timothy (no middle name) McGee the Elf Lord and her friend.

Hearing his phone begin to ring the MCRT junior agent was a little startled, his mind elsewhere as he worked on his report. Looking around his desk he could not see where the ringing was coming from. Jacket, right pocket he realized. As he fumbled about trying to grab it before the caller hung up his senior agent entered the bullpen with a tray of coffee, finally he pulled it from his pocket as his SFA looked on. Not recognizing the number he answered "Special agent Dorneget ".

Silence, moments later "Hello is anyone there, can I help you"."Ned, Ned Dorneget this is Ziva, Ziva Dav-id why do you have McGee's Phone"

To say he was shocked was an understatement Ziva David had been gone for three years very few new why, just a lot of hush-hush, classified, top secret don't ask looks from her team.

"Hello, hello Ned"

"S-sorry Ziva just a little surprised to hear from you" he stumbles .

"So why do you have Tim's phone" she asks again.

"Well you see, well it's not Agent McGee's phone, well it is, I mean it was, I mean it's an agency phone that's now issued to me".

"Do you have his new number then" she asks.

"I'm sorry Ziva he's gone"

"What, where, another team, another agency"

"No Ziva he's gone, he died several months ago I'm so sorry". Palming his chin he can feel the tension, the disbelief is palpable across the line.

Stunned, her mind reeling, this could not be true her friend dead, no, no it had to be a mistake how could this be."I need to speak to Gibbs give him the phone NOW"

Feeling more nervous by the minute Ned replies "I can't Ziva he and Tony". And after another moment "I'm so sorry Ziva".

'_This cannot be real'_ she thought 'No it must be a mistake, three years she waited, three years she wasted now they were all gone. She was truly alone."How_"_ it was barely a whisper.

"It was mid January" he replies."They were on their way to a crime scene, there was still a lot of snow and ice around and well apparently Gibbs was driving and he lost control." Hearing a small gasp he asks "Are you ok Ziva."

"Yes yes please continue." She replies with all the strength she can muster

"Apparently the car hit a raised sidewalk and flipped over and well" he pauses again."And, and Tim well, he was in the backseat with Agent Bishop"."Oh god i'm so sorry Ziva"

"It's ok Ned please, please I need to know, and also who is agent bishop". She says, each word almost choking her.

"She replaced you on the team ".Looking over at his SFA Ned was silent again so unsure of himself and how to continue. Walking over to his junior agent he gestured for the phone that Ned was only too happy to pass to him.

"Hello Miss Dav-id my name is Special Agent Peter Dunlop I am very sorry for your loss, however I cannot give you details as the accident is still part of an active investigation".

"Please Agent Dunlop they are my friends, my family" her voice weak and shaky.

"All I can say is that Special Agents Gibbs, DiNosso and McGee did not survive the accident, perhaps if you contact the Director he may be willing to share more.""Once again I am sorry for you loss the agency lost three fine agents that day". With a final goodbye he hung up the phone leaving Ziva stunned to silence. Sinking to her knee's she stares at the phone and promptly drops it. Moments later she sits back on her heels, tangles her fingers in her hair pulling her head down and she cries.


End file.
